Ground light



- J. O. CADIEUX GROUND LIGHT A ril 21, 1936.

Filed June 16, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 21, 1936- v J. 0'. CADIEUXGROUND LIGHT Filed June 16, 1930 Z-Sheets-Sheet} Patented Apr. 21, 1936- UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE,

' GROUND LIGHT Joseph 0. Cadieux, Merlden, Connl, assignor toConnecticut Telephone & Electric Corporation, Meriden, Conn., acorporation of Delaware Application June 16,1930, Serial n 461,456

' 3 Claims. (01. 177-329) My invention relates to electric lightingapparatus and particularly to a construction suitable for illuminatingairways and fields.

One object of the invention is to provide a compact but powerful andeflectlve lamp suitable for illumination by the use of incandescent gasand the like.

A special object is to provide a compact lamp and transformercombination suitable for mounting in the ground.

Another object is to provide a lamp so that a gas tube can be readilyinserted in the socket or removed therefrom.

.Another object is to provide a combination transformer and lamp socketwhich is rugged and can be readily protected from the elements.

In its preferred form the invention contemplates a housing consisting ofan outlet box having an extension with a cover and suitable to beinstalled in the ground. Within this housing is mounted a transformerand a socket for a detachable or removable lamp tube which is preferablyof a disc-like spiral formation. A reflecting surface is also providedand a transparent cover is protected by a suitable grill.

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a single lamp embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic side view'showing a number of the lampsarranged in the ground.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a lamp embodying my inventionshown installed in a pit. The main part of the housing is in the form ofan outlet box 5 to which conduit sections 6 for the conductor wires areattached. This box has an interior flange i on which is supported aninner housing i which may be of insulating materiai: This housing has aflange 9 supported on v the flange l and secured in place by screws 10.

The transformer H will usually boot the step-up type suitable, forinstance, for transforming from volts to the voltage necessary for a gaslamp, which may be upwards of 1000 or 20,000 volts. This transformer maybe supported on brackets 82 and may be embedded in insulatingcomposition filled in through the housing or casing 8 around thetransformer. A branch block l3 may be mounted in the outlet box 5 forconvenience in wiring.

The socket member 54 may also be of insulating material supported on themember 8 and secured by the screws it. This socket member is providedwith a pair of contact clips l5 preferably in recesses l6 and connectedby leads I! to the output of the transformer. An insulating disc 18 maybe provided in the socket I4 and secured in place by a rivet I! so as toprevent, to the maximum degree, accidental access to the contacts I5which are on the high tension side of the transformer.

. and removal of the gas tube.

The outer end of the housing 24 is in the form ofan outwardly flaringextension which has a flange 25 secured by bolts or screws 26 to theends of the outlet box 5. A yielding packing or gasket 21 is preferablyprovided between the adjacent parts and a yielding gasket or packingring may also be inserted between the flanges l and 9. The outer edge ofthe extension 24 is provided with a raised rim or flange 29. Within theextension 24 is also preferably mounted a disc 30 which mayserve as areflector and may be colored if desired.

Iihe inner surface of the flaring extension 24$ may serve as a reflectorin case the disc 30 isomltted. The transparent cover glass 3| of convexform is preferably provided to protect the "tube 2i and keep out waterand dirt. The outer edge or flange of this cover 3! fits within the rimor washer 32. p

I also prefer to provide an external protecting grid or grill 33 formedof metal with suitable openings so as to permit a maximum emission oflight and at the same time mechanical protection of the tube and socket.This grid may have a rim 34 secured to the 'rim 9 of the housing by anumber of screws or bolts 35 and a yielding gasket 36 may be interposedbetween the rims 29 and 34.

These units thus far described may be installed in any suitable manner,as for instance in a concrete pit 37 sunk in the ground and with theupper portions of the lamp projecting only slightly above the surface ofthe ground.

Such a construction can be readily assembled or disassembled for thepurposes of inspection or bred for any other suitable purpose.

The convex reflector 30 serves to support and reinforce the ,tube 2| andto spread the light from the tube over a wider area.

When the reflector 30 is removed the concave surface 24 serves toconcentrate the light.

I claim:

1. In a gas lamp, a downwardly and inwardly disposed supporting memberhaving inner and outer flanges, a main housing having inner and outerflange portions, said latter outer flange being aligned with andfastened to the inner flange of the supporting member, a secondaryhousing for enclosing a transformer provided with a flange fastenedtothe inner flange of the main housing, and a socket member fastened tothe inner flange of the main housing and having terminal clips forsupporting a lamp in electrical connection with said source ofelectrical energy, said supporting member, main housing, secondaryhousing and socket forming a unitary structure adapted to be supportedin a pit by the outer flange on said supporting member.

2. In a ground light, a housing having an exterior flange adjacent theupper edge thereof, said flange being adapted to support said housing ina pit whereby the upper edge of said housing will be substantially flushwith the surface of the ground, illuminating means in said housingcomprising a luminescent gas tube having a conical convolute form andmeans for removably mounting said tube in a socket in said housing, aconical convex reflector supported in said housing adjacent thelowersurface of said tube, a convex light transmitting cover for saidhousing supported by said flange, a vertically disposed rim on saidflange surrounding'said cover and having a vertical dimension slightlygreater than the thickness of said cover, and a metal grid secured toand engaging said rim and extending over said cover to protect thelatter.

3. A gas lamp comprising a conical upwardly flaring housing, arelatively flat dome shapedglobe forming the upper portion of saidhousing,

a luminescent gas tube of convex convolute form within said housing andextending into said globe, connector means within the housing engagingthe terminals of the tube for making electrical connections with theterminals of the tube, a conical convex reflector having a portionconforming to the shape of the lower portion of said tube. and incontact with the lower part of the tube to support the tube, saidreflector also including a conical upwardly flaring outer portion whichconforms to the shape of the inner, surface of the conical upwardlyflaring housing, whereby the said reflector is supported by the innerwall of said housing adjacent the outer convolutions of said tube.

JOSEPH O. CADIEUX.

